Am I a producer or a consumer?

Objective: To understand the relationship between the biotic components of an area. (Producer and consumer, Autotrophs and heterotrophs, Herbivores and carnivore and omnivore)

Materials required: Pictures/ Drawings of plants and animals found in aquatic, terrestrial and amphibious habitats; glue; scissors; small pieces of magnets; a metal board (made of iron); Paper or cardboard to make arrows

Procedure:
1. Collect pictures /drawings of plants and animals.
2. You may also paste the pictures on cardboard pieces and attach a small magnet behind the cardboard pieces.
3. Put the pictures of organisms in the order of ‘who eats whom’ on the metal board.
4. You may put picture of one organism and then look for others.
5. Form all possible food chains. You will observe that there are food chains in which common organism/organisms are present and so you may have to connect them.
6. Now answer the following questions:
Why are the plants are not eating any organism?
From where do the plants get their food?
There are some animals that are only eating plants. What are they known as? Identify such animals in the food chains that you have made.
There are some animals that are only feeding on other animals. What are such animals known as? Identify them in the food chains that you have made.
There are some animals that are feeding on both plants and animals. What would you call such animals?
Are their any such animals in the food chains that you have made? Name them.

Interpretation: Plants can prepare their own food by the process of photosynthesis. That is why they are known as producers or Autotrophs.
Heterotrophs cannot make their own food. Food chain is a process of one organism eating the other and being eaten by another organism. An interconnected network of food chains is known as a food web.

Reinforcement: Why are herbivores, carnivores and omnivores known as Heterotrophs?
Are humans herbivores or carnivores?
Why do most food chains start from plants?
Why are vegetarian food habits more advantageous in terms of energy?
Classify the following as herbivores, carnivores and omnivores:
Parrot, cat, cockroach, grasshopper, butterfly, white ants, scorpion, head-louse, malarial mosquito, bear, monkey, squirrel, crocodile, caterpillar and honeybee.